As I am writing this post I have just recently finished a wonderful 7 night cruise aboard the Disney Fantasy.
What an amazing and beautiful ship Disney has created, I really hated leaving it behind.

In today’s post I want to show you a few great details from Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay.  If you have cruised before on the Disney ships, you know that this is what most of you came for. Your very own private island. That’s right the island is owned by Disney and is the last stop on your cruise so you can relax and swim with little people around.

Let’s get onto the good stuff.

This is a great nod to the chief executive of the Walt Disney Company, Bob Iger. His wife Willow Bay is also included on the sign.

Tom Staggs is the Chairman of the Disney Parks And Resorts

This is the plane that crashed in the story of Castaway Cay. Again the themeing is amazing. They did not have to add a story to the island but they did and even included amazing props.

This is the sign on the Post Office…. Read it quickly.

And my favorite is the gag on the side of this building. 10,000 gallons of gas.. that’s a lot.

Well that’s all for today’s post as I have to go back and enjoy the sunshine at Epcot!

See Ya Real Soon!

@detailsofdisney

Jennifer de Zayas is a housewife and a stay-at-home mom. When she isn’t volunteering at her kids’ school or blogging for the Zone, you’ll find her planning her next Disney vacation, or helping family and friends plan theirs.

My most favorite hobby is cross stitching, specifically Disney things. My passion started at the age of seventeen when I randomly walked into a craft store and spotted a Lion King cross stitch kit. Many, many years later, I’m now 35, and I have way too many Disney cross stitching kits. You can purchase some of these kits like those designed by Thomas Kinkade at The Art of Disney Stores located in DownTown Disney, Epcot, and Magic Kingdom. The older kits you can try to get through ebay. There is a book on ebay which is very old called “Walt Disney Characters In Counted Cross Stitch” by Paragon Designs Gloria & Pat, which has some beautiful charts of Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan, Snow White and more. Between this book and the kits, I have at least thirty of these Disney projects I want to make. I have completed three of these Disney kits and had them professionally framed. If you ever pick up cross stitching, do get it framed by someone that works specifically with cross stitch work. It can take a few months to finish these works of art. Lots of hours go into creating a simple 8×10 picture. I am currently working on a Pocahontas piece. I have added pictures of my progress, the ones I have completed, and a kit that I will eventually get to start. Pick up this hobby and have your friends in awe at this type of Disney Art.

Well Disney World is the place where dreams come true, and there is a store in Downtown Disney that allows guests to create a customized t-shirt.

It is super easy. The store has computers where you can customize your shirt with a choice of color, long or short sleeve, choose the character(s) you want on it, and either choose from phrases or create your own text.

We have made a number of shirts from personalized birthday ones to personalized gifts for family and friends.

There are countless number of choices of items to buy when in Disney World, but there is nothing like a personalized Disney t-shirt!

How awesome is this?!

Even though I was in Orlando for a conference, I made arrangements to come in a day early so I would not miss the Flower & Garden Festival. I must say, that was the best decision I’d made in quite a while!  Gardening has only recently piqued my curiosity, since we’ve moved to a rural area and have lots of land to fill with plants and trees, flowers and vegetables.  The Flower & Garden Festival had lots to not make me feel like such a novice, but also enough excite folks like my Master Gardener mother, who stared longingly at the 200+ photos taken during my day at Epcot.  She insists that she’ll attend next year.  Inside the Festival Center, there were lots of workshops and demonstrations going on; I even learned how the gardeners create those awesome topiaries and the history behind them.  My favorite? Pride rock! The details and color of Rafiki presenting Simba, Mufasa’s mane, and other surroundings left everyone with a “how’d they do that?” look on their face as they stopped for pictures.

I wish the kids were here to see this!

A huge fan of Tinkerbell, the butterfly house was one of my favorite stops.  The topiaries of Tink and friends were amazing.  Also inside were cute little fairy houses that Tink certainly had a hand in making.  They were constructed from old planters, hollowed trees and there was even one made from a roller skate.  The star of the show here is the butterflies and the flowers planted specifically to attract them.  You could see live butterflies in various stages, from caterpillar to emerging butterfly.  The friendly flutterers even found their way to some unsuspecting friends’ fingers.  This was probably the only point in this solo trip where I wished my children were with me; excellent learning and exploring opportunities were everywhere in Tinkerbell’s Butterfly House!

Found at the Florida Fresh kiosk, my favorite dish was the Shrimp & Stone Grits with Andouille Sausage

As a self proclaimed foodie, I wasn’t sure that the Flower & Garden festival would be as enjoyable as the Food & Wine Festival in the fall, but I was pleasantly surprised upon learning that the geniuses at Disney were making the food kiosks do double duty by adding them to the Flower & Garden Festival.  Many of the items offered featured items found in gardens the areas the kiosks represented.  I was accustomed to being able to quickly spot kiosks because of their long lines, but with no waiting most of the day, they were a bit difficult to spot with all of the attention being on the fantastic topiaries all over the World Showcase.

Since I wasn’t staying onsite, I didn’t have the dining plan and this got expensive pretty quickly.  By purchasing a gift card that conveniently attached to my wrist, staying on budget wasn’t a problem.  Due to pregnancy, my taste buds groaned over not being able to try several popular items, including the smoked salmon tar tare and the Dole Whip with rum, so I had extra helpings of items like shrimp and grits with andouille sausage.  The chilled rose blush lemonade was so unique that it easily curbed my appetite for alcohol.  Who would have thought about pairing rose water with lemonade?  I could use a glass right now!

If you love the Food and Wine Festival as much as I do, the Flower and Garden Festival is a great alternative if you can’t make it to the parks in the fall.  The crowds are smaller, the food offerings are just as amazing, and the only other time the park is more beautiful is during the holiday season.  This festival, however, is amazing in its own right and this year marked its twentieth anniversary.  If you have not been, be sure to plan a future trip!

———

This trip was also an attempt at zero waste while visiting the parks.  The day spent at Epcot did not result in zero waste, because I ate SO much, but all of the others did! Find out more about my Zero Waste trip by following me on Twitter, @CrunchyDisneyMa.  All photos were taken using my old, but faithful Canon camera.

You too can be a Galactic Hero, scoring the maximum 999,999 on Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin, Don’t tell anyone, it’s a secret!

I grew up in the 80s, so I’m an original gamer.  It comes naturally… it’s been passed to my children who are all gamers.  Wreck-it-Ralph is a HUGE hit for us all!  Watching it in 3D on the Disney Dream just days after its release was icing on the cake, and a subject for a future blog.  When Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom opened “Buzz Light Years Space Ranger Spin” (November 1998), the world of video games and dark rides collided.  Buzz Light Year is the original, leading the way to Buzz Light Year of Star Command (Disneyland) and Toy Story Midway Mania (California Adventure/Hollywood Studios).

Get Ready, the first 100,000 point target in Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin is in the first room! Look for the BOXOBOT, inside the left hand.

You are the newest “Star Command” recruit and are on your way to defend the “crystallic fusion cells” needed to power the space vehicles of the “Little Green Men”.   The “Evil Emperor Zurg” is looking to steal the “crystallic fusion cells” for his own use against Buzz Light Year.  It’s your opportunity to become a “Galactic Hero”.

With any game comes a score and with a score comes a competition….all friendly, of course.  The largest wager is usually a Dole Whip but mostly bragging rights.  If you’re like me, you want to have that high score.   At some point though, you start to notice your children’s scores are starting to rival yours.  Then that fateful day…your children pass your score!!!  If you have that high score every time, you can stop reading and don’t need to watch the video.  You rock, and no one will ever catch you.

If you’re still reading, I can help!!!  It’s time Mom and Dad get the 999999 Galactic Hero rank.  What’s the secret?  The secret is all in positioning.

Aim for the bottom of Zurg’s Ship, it’s worth 100,000 Points

There are at least 2 targets worth 100,000 points each, and if you position yourself correctly you can hit them at least 5 times each.  You find them and get 999999 – Galactic Hero.

Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin Floor Plan with 100,000 point targets

First tip:  You want to be the first into the vehicle because the first 100,000 target is on the left of the vehicle (traveling forward).  If you’re on the right, you may be blocked by the person in the car in front of you and there are no points for the back of their head.  The first target comes up quickly, so be ready.  Second tip:  You need to control the spinner (which should be easy early in the ride).  Turn the vehicle slightly left and look for the first robot (Boxobot).  The target you want is the inside of his left hand.  If positioned well, you could hit this target 8 times, and that’s 800,000 in the first room.

You’ll find a 50,000 point target on top of the volcano in the second room, the second highest point total of any target.

The second 100,000 point target is in the third room located at the very bottom of Zurg’s ship.  It’s a little tricky to position, but you should be able to hit it before and after passing the ship.

Three targets, and that’s all you need to master Buzz Light Year Space Ranger Spin and become a Galactic Hero!

Need to Help? Check out the video below… and good luck Space Ranger!!

In the WDW Fan Zone with @SamsDisneyDiary Buzz Lightyears Space Ranger Spin Help, what’s the secret?

Thanks for watching…

Don’t forget to check out www.SamsDisneyDiary.com and follow me on twitter @SamsDisneyDiary (www.youtube.com/SamsDisneyDiary) (www.Facebook.com/SamsDisneyDiary)

In my last 2 articles I wrote about My Must Ride Magic Kingdom Attractions and My Must Ride Epcot Attractions!  In this article I want to share with you my must ride attractions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios!

Disney’s Hollywood Studios (DHS), formerly known as Disney-MGM Studios, opened at the Walt Disney World (WDW) Resort on May 1st, 1989. DHS was the 3rd theme park to open at WDW.  Over the years new attractions and areas have opened and some of the older attractions have closed and been replaced.  One of my favorite attractions called Super Star Television has closed.  In this attraction guests were chosen from the audience and got to star in recreated scenes of popular TV shows such as I Love Lucy, Cheers, Gilligan’s Island and General Hospital.  Guests would be in front of a green screen in fun costumes and be added to the scene with their favorite actors and actresses.  I remember being chosen for the General Hospital scene where I got to play the love interest of the ever-dashing Robert Scorpio!!!  It was very nerve wracking for me to be up there but it was a ton of fun.  I would think if the attraction was still opened today, they would have updated what shows they used.

I love Disney’s Hollywood Studios and I definitely recommend spending a full day there because there is a lot to see.  If I had one day to spend at DHS these are the attractions I would make sure to ride!

1)  The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror:  The Twilight Zone Tower or Terror or for short, The Tower of Terror is my favorite ride at DHS.  It opened in July of 1994. Tower of Terror is located at the end of Sunset Boulevard inside the 13-story, abandoned, Hollywood Tower Hotel! While waiting in the line you will notice broken stoneware outside and then you enter into the lobby which is dusty and covered in cobwebs.  You then enter the library and you see a film with Rod Sterling telling you about the history of the Hollywood Tower Hotel. After seeing the film you wait in line inside the boiler room of the hotel where you are then taken into the service elevator.  You sit down, fasten your seatbelts and go through a few scenes and then your elevator is lifted 13 stories high.  A door in front of you opens and you can see all of Hollywood Studios and then you drop!  A guest who is down on Sunset Boulevard can hear your screams!  When Tower of Terror first opened it was just one drop.  Then they added a second drop calling it “Twice the Fright” two years after it opened.  I remember being there when they were testing it and the cast members wearing “Twice the Fright” signs on their uniforms.  They were trying to surprise guests so they wouldn’t know what to expect!  Now, several years later,  each ride is random and you never know how many times you will go up and drop down!  They call it “Never the Same Fear Twice”! It’s a ton of fun and it always gets me in the stomach!

2)  Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith: Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is also located at the end of Sunset Boulevard right next to Tower of Terror.  There is a giant red guitar outside of the ride that makes a cool picture to take.  This is an indoor roller coaster where riders board a 24 passenger stretch limo as they head to a concert with Aerosmith.  The ride has a hide speed launch that takes you 0-60 in 2.8 seconds.  After launch you go in an upside down loop.  Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is fast and thrilling and while you are waiting to launch the ride can definitely get your heart racing!

3)  Toy Story Midway Mania:  Toy Story Mania is located on Mickey Avenue at DHS.  The scenery outside of the ride is really cool and features popular toys like Barrel of Monkeys, Scrabble, blocks, crayons and Tinker Toys.  The line for this ride is usually very long.  My family usually heads there first to grab a fast pass and then go about our day and come back later.  The only thing is sometimes by the time you get over to Toy Story Mania all the FastPasses are gone for the day.   When you enter the line and go inside the building there is more great scenery to look at.  There are dominoes, View Master reels, Tinker Toys, a Candyland board and much more.  Checking everything out makes the long line seem to move faster.  There is also a talking Mr. Potato Head that interacts with the people on line.  As you approach the ride, you get a pair of 3D glasses.  The cars hold 4 people and each person has a toy cannon that you fire at targets.  You earn points and at the end of the ride they tell you your score.  It is fun to compete with other family members and see who can get the highest score!

4)  Muppet Vision 3D:  Muppet Vision 3D is an awesome and fun 3D movie that stars all of the Muppets like Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker.  There is also a new 3D character named Waldo that wreaks havoc during the movie.  Before you enter the theater there is a great lobby with tons of cool scenery to look at.  I read online that there is gag with “a net full of jello” (which is a spoof on the name Annette Funicello).  There is also a short preshow starring Gonzo, Scooter and Sam Eagle getting you ready for the amazing 3D show.  The show has a lot of funny jokes, songs and 3D gags that sometimes turn into 4D like when water is sprayed, you get wet! I definitely recommend this show for everyone and you will definitely come out smiling!

5)  The Great Movie Ride:  The Great Movie Ride takes place at the end of Hollywood Boulevard, behind the giant Sorcerer’s Hat, inside a replica of the Chinese Theater which is in Hollywood, California.  The line for the ride has a big screen overhead and shows clips of old famous movies.  Watching the movies keeps you entertained and the line doesn’t seem as long.  The ride is a giant tram with a tour guide driving it.  The guide interacts with guests and also interacts with the scenes in the ride.  The scenes in the ride feature audio- animatronic figures of famous movie stars and brings you through scenes from Casablanca, Mary Poppins, Tarzan, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Alien (definitely scary for small kids so hide their eyes!), and The Wizard of Oz.  The end of the ride features clips from old and some newer movies.  It’s fun to try to guess which movie some of them are from.  I would love for them to update the film and put in new movies, but I am unsure if that has ever happened.  The Great Movie Ride is the first attraction I rode on at Disney’s Hollywood Studios after it opened.  I consider it to be one of the signature rides of the park.

So that’s my list.  Of course there are other great attractions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios but these are my favorites!  What are your favorite attractions?  Do you agree with my choices or have a different favorite?  Feel free to comment below or you can find me on Twitter as @franndisney. Look for my next article where I tell you my favorite Disney’s Animal Kingdom attractions.

Walt Disney Company

• • The Walt Disney Company released their second fiscal quarter and six month earnings on May 7.  “With adjusted earnings per share up 36% over last year, we’re obviously pleased with our second quarter,” said Robert A. Iger, Chairman and CEO, The Walt Disney Company. “Our results reflect our successful strategy, the strength of our brands and the value of our high-quality creative content, all of which continue to drive long-term growth and shareholder value.”

WDW Resort

• • Tickets for both Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas parties have gone on sale.  The popular holiday parties will be held on select nights throughout September, October, November, and December with advance purchase discounts available for certain nights.  Annual Passholder as well as DVC discounts are also available.  The parties begin at 7 PM and end at 12 AM.

• • Nights of Joy tickets have gone on sale.  The 2013 dates are September 6 and 7 from 7:30 PM until 1 AM.  Tickets may be purchased for an individual or both nights.

• • MyMagic+ ‘Touch to Pay’ will begin testing at Table Service restaurants later in May.  Disney’s Contemporary Resort will allow guests the ability to ‘Touch to Pay’ at The Wave Restaurant.  Since MagicBands are not available yet, guests will be able to use their RFID enabled Key to the World cards.

• • Disney began offering Electric Standing Vehicles (ESV) for disabled guests at Walt Disney World.  The vehicles are similar to the Segway vehicles and are equipped with 4 wheels.  The ESV can be rented at wheelchair locations on Disney property.

Magic Kingdom

• • Merida, from Pixar’s “Brave”, became the eleventh Disney Princess in a grand coronation ceremony on May 11.  Merida was accompanied by her mother, Queen Elinor, Olympic Gold Medalist, Gabby Douglas, and the other 10 Disney Princesses.

• • Celebrate the Magic, the Magic Kingdom’s nighttime projection show, will debut a new edition of the show in late May.  The show is expected to make seasonal changes during the year.  The rumored date for the newest edition is May 24, during the Magic Kingdom’s 24 hour day.

• • The Peter Pan meet and Greet moved its location in the Magic Kingdom.  Peter Pan and Wendy will now be available for meet and greet opportunities in the queue area of Peter Pan’s Flight in Fantasyland.  Peter Pan previously met guests in Adventureland.

• • Pirates of the Caribbean was scheduled for a refurbishment beginning June 17 but that date has been pushed to July 27 and will last until July 30.

• • The May 28 scheduled refurbishment of Prince Charming Regal Carrousel has been postponed.  No reschedule date has been announced.

Epcot

• • MyMagic+ is growing in Epcot.  ‘Touch to Enter’ is now available for guests wishing to enter through the International Gateway.  Half of the existing turnstiles have been changed over for ‘Touch to Enter’.  Guests without RFID enabled media may still enter through the remaining turnstiles.

Hollywood Studios

• • Jabba the Hutt’s pet rancor from the “Return of the Jedi” will appear at Star Wars Weekends this year, the 17 foot, 700 pound replica will be available for photo opportunities.

Animal Kingdom

• • The opening of Adventurers Outpost has been delayed until May 15.  The new indoor meet and greet will feature Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

Downtown Disney

• • Cirque du Soleil La Nouba is closed for a short refurbishment and is scheduled to reopen for performances on May 28.

• • The first construction walls for Disney Springs went up at Pleasure Island.  The construction at Pleasure Island is expected to demolish several existing structures in the area.  The construction is the beginning of the elaborate Disney Springs projects announced earlier this year.

Walt Disney Pictures

• • “Iron Man 3” smashed box office records for Walt Disney Pictures.  The Marvel sequel earned $175 Million domestically in its opening weekend and is close to the $1 Billion mark worldwide after winning its second box office weekend in a row.

Star Wars Weekends is a fantastic set of weekend-long events centered around the Star Wars movie and television franchise that Walt Disney World hosts Friday through Sunday during select weekends in May and June. Special parades, Star Wars Celebrity meet and greets, themed shows, and limited-edition merchandise await guests at Disney’s Hollywood Studios over the duration of the events. And if the May the Fourth Be With You event this year was any indication of what’s to come, 2013’s Star Wars Weekends are going to be amazing!

So what do you need to do in order to get the most out of SWW? You need to plan. While some events at Disney can be done on a last-minute basis, Star Wars Weekends requires a good amount of preparation because of the crowds, the heat, and the sheer volume of activities available in what is a fairly small park. Where should you start? Here’s a handy checklist that will help you have the best experience possible!

1) Check out the schedule. Kenny the Pirate has a great Star Wars Weekends schedule posted here: http://kennythepirate.com/category/star-wars-weekends/  Be sure to note that the Star Wars Motorcade parade (11:00 a.m.) and The Hyperspace Hoopla (8:00 p.m.) will be packed and may require you to find a spot up to an hour in advance of start time. Having handheld video games or other portable activities in your bag is never a bad idea for these waits.

2) Arrive early! Prior to park opening, storm troopers put on a show called Storming the Park. Not only is it too good to miss out on, but the early arrival will allow you to get some things accomplished in the cooler morning hours while crowds are at their lowest levels of the day that you may long waits for later. The gates open early during these weekends due to peak crowd levels, so take advantage of the opportunity to catch some experiences that may be full later in the day! Ask a cast member which characters have had the longest lines and head to those meet and greets first. Fastpass popular rides like Toy Story Mania and Tower of Terror to get a break from the heat as the day goes on.

3) Prepare for extreme conditions. SWW swings into action as summer gears up in Central Florida, making for high temperatures and humidity indices. Lines are long and shade can be at a premium in the Studios. Be ready to either purchase or bring lots of fluids (coolers and cooler bags are allowed) and have sunscreen and hats or cooling aids on-hand. Wear lightly colored wicking clothing or cotton and appropriate shoes for walking on solid concrete. Don’t hesitate to go for frozen lemonades, popsicles, slushies, and other frozen treats that cool and take advantage of the cooler interiors of rides, shows and shops when possible. Run through a crowd cooler (stationed at various locations in the park) and pay attention to signs of exhaustion and overheating including extra-red cheeks, irritability, and fatigue. Remember that costumes and face paint add an extra layer of heat-trapping insulation and be extra cautious if you or your family members dress up. If you have access to a hotel on property, head back for a few hours after the motorcade and swim or take a cool shower and rest.

4) Make reservations. If you’re planning to have a sit-down meal at any time during the day to escape the heat, make your reservations now. Peak crowds will make for limited restaurant availability and long wait times which can add to frustration already building with heat and hunger. Don’t forget the fantastic restaurants available outside the park just a short boat ride away at Disney’s Boardwalk, Beach Club, and Yacht Club, Swan, and Dolphin resorts and, if you have park hoppers, Disney’s Epcot!

5) Have fun! Understand that you may not be able to get to every single thing you’d like to do, especially given this year’s amped-up offerings, but the more you prepare, the more fun you’re going to have. See you there!

Morgan Crutchfield is the Disney-obsessed owner of DVC Central, a brand dedicated to Maximizing Your Disney Experience One Tip at a Time™ Look for The DVC Central Source, an e-magazine full of tips and great Disney vacation planning information, coming soon to www.dvccentral.com.

1. Decide ahead of time if you want to make a schedule or wing it. On Leap Day, there were people who chose to ride the same attraction all day and others who barely rode any rides. Either way, the day will be crowded, so be sure to figure out what you must-do beforehand or else you might not get it done. Sure, 24 hours is a long time to accomplish your goals, but with the crowds and other events that may pop up, it is easy to get sidetracked. My dad and I decided to wing it, and that plan worked out well for us. We met up with friends, Imagineers, and took our time to experience things we usually didn’t have time for, such as the Swiss Family Treehouse.
2. Eat smaller meals and snacks throughout the day. Food and drinks are a good way to keep your energy up, so pace yourself. I would recommend sticking to snack carts and quick service rather than table service. Drink lots of water, and sneak in caffeine every few hours. Try to choose some healthier options so your meals don’t make you feel groggy or stuffed.
3. Save your energy for the night. If you want to make it until the morning, take it easy during the day. It is an exciting day, and it will be easy to feel an adrenalin rush, but if you go for all of the thrill rides and moving attractions during the day and save the nighttime for shows and slow rides, you will probably fall asleep. The longer you sit down, the greater the likelihood that you will nod off. (My dad was a perfect example of this). Save a roller coaster or shorter ride for the wee hours, and if you choose longer attractions, make sure that they are high energy, like the Laugh Floor Comedy Club.

Are you planning on attending the 24 day? What are your thoughts on the event? Did you attend last year? Let me know by commenting below or tweeting me @MickeyWaffle71!